An overwhelming crowd of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fans stood outside the Myrtle Beach Convention Center last Saturday night to see the first-ever bouts held there.

Ticket sales for the lower level were sold out by lunch, and approximately 1,000 people had to be turned away due to fire marshal issues. It was a record-setting event as over 3,500 fans turned out to see local stars fight in front of a home crowd for the first time.

Georgetown's own Jay Dennis of Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu on South Fraser Street had six fighters win in the event.

Former stand-out wrestler turned jiu-jitsu and MMA fighter Steven Chinners evened his amateur record to 1-1 with a victory over Carlos Perez. Perez was fighting out of Fayetteville, NC, and is on the Marine Combat Team.

Chinners won in exciting fashion as he took Perez down, got on his back and won via "rear naked choke" as the crowd went wild.

Also victorious was Murrells Inlet sensation Jordan McDonald, who works with the S.C. Environmental Law Project in Georgetown.

McDonald is an accomplished striker. She had been working with Dennis' school to improve her jiu-jitsu game in order to subdue her kickboxer opponent, Crystal Parrish of Winston-Salem, N.C. McDonald quickly took Parrish down, sat astride her and ended the fight with a barrage of punches to Parrish's face.

The first professional fights took place in South Carolina as well. UFC (Ultra Fighting Championship) and WEC (World Extreme Cagefighting) veteran Nissen Osterneck won via triangle choke in the first round. McDonald's boyfriend Jon Owens also won as he used a kimura arm lock to make his opponent tap, or submit.

Dennis says there are at least three more events planned in Myrtle Beach this summer.

CFP is working with sponsor Bud Light to bring the Bud Lite Summer Series to the Convention Center.

"We will be adding additional seating, a huge Vegas-style lighting rig over the cage, and two more Jumbotron screens for the next show."

Dennis added that fans can go to the Carolina Fight Promotions Web site (carolinafightpromotions.com) to keep up with the upcoming dates.

"Judging by the success of the last event, fans should purchase tickets as soon as they go on sale to avoid being left out. Lots of tourists will be in Myrtle Beach for the next ones, so don't procrastinate and have to hear about it later from your friends."

-- Information provided by Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu